QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Q: Do the Reds have enough cash to re-sign Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Aroldis Chapman when they are eligible for free agency in the next couple of years? — RICK, Vandalia.
A: I would suggest the Reds start cashing in on those e-mails from Nigeria telling them they are the recipients of millions of dollars if they only answer. I don’t know how much fruits and vegetables Bob Castellini can sell between now and then, but he is a darn good businessman. I really don’t see how it will be possible after they gave Homer Bailey $105 million, but Castellini has been able to pull cash out of a hat so far when he signed both Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips when everybody thought it was impossible. Perhaps they need to sell tons of those jerseys in the team gift shop.
Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy knows a thing or two about America’s pastime. If you’d like to tap into that knowledge, send a question to halmccoy1@hotmail.com.
Q: Now that Johnny Cueto has declared himself the best pitcher in baseball, will we see more pitchers convert to the Luis Tiant twisting-and-turning delivery? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek.
A: Cueto declared himself the best pitcher in baseball at the time he was asked, and with nine straight starts of giving up two or fewer runs he had the right to say that. He was right. As for his delivery, it could happen in the future. Kids are great mimickers, and we might see kids all over Reds Country doing The Johnny Cueto.
Q: Bryan Price is approaching the 44-game mark of his managing tenure. How long do you think it will be before upper management gives him the ‘Tony Perez treatment?’ — ED, Kettering.
A: Amazingly enough, when Price reached his first 44 games as manager his record was identical to the 20-24 owned by Tony Perez when he was fired, via telephone, by then-general manager Jim Bowden in 1993. Price is past the 44-game mark and still managing and will continue to manage. This organization has a lot more class than the Bowden regime. And not once this season has Price played with a full deck, due to the monumental injuries. Let’s see how he does with a deck that is not missing an ace (Mat Latos) and three kings (Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Devin Mesoraco).
Q: Catcher Brayan Pena recently batted second. When was the last time a Reds catcher batted second? — BOB, Belmont.
A: It was nearly five years ago when Ryan Hanigan batted second on Aug. 2, 2009 against the Colorado Rockies. It didn’t work out too well. He went 0 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout and the Reds lost, 6-4. Maybe that’s why it took so long for a manager to try it again.
Q: Who cashes in on the revenue stream for jerseys with the players’ names on them and the players’ memorabilia? — JACK, Vandalia.
A: The profits from the jerseys with players’ names on them sold in the team gift shop go to the team. They need that money to pay those big salaries. But there is a booth on the main concourse where the team sells Reds authentic game-used items and the proceeds go to the Reds Community Fund, one of the best charity organizations in baseball.
Q: Does the designated hitter have to be a pitcher? I’m thinking about when Mike Leake pitched against Boston and the Reds used a DH for Leake instead of Zack Cozart. — RON, Cincinnati.
A: Why pick specifically on Cozart? At the end of the last road trip Cozart was on a five-game hitting streak and had three hits in the last game in Washington. And it couldn’t happen. By rule, in the major leagues the DH can be used only for the pitcher. It can be used in high schools, though. And it can happen in the majors, but only during the course of the game as part of a double switch when the original DH is removed. Then the pitcher must hit.
Q: Why did it take so long for the Reds to put Joey Votto on the disabled list? — MARK, Batavia.
A: They hoped Votto’s injury was not serious enough that it would take 15 days to heal and they could get him back in four or five days. Didn’t work. Since you can back date the DL to the last game in which a player appeared, it didn’t affect Votto’s date of return. But manager Bryan Price did have to play the first five games of the last road trip with 24 players and he was out of position players in that 15-inning game in Washington. But it worked out OK. The Reds won in spite of themselves and their 2-for-24 performance with runners in scoring position.
Q: When Homer Bailey first came up it was difficult to get even a grunt out of him and now he is giving you pink shoes. What happened? — BANKER BOB, Villa Hills, Ky.
A: Bailey had a specially-made pair of adidas pink running shoes to wear on Mother’s Day for Breast Cancer Awareness. We wear the same size-13 shoes and he gave them to me and dared me to wear them all day. I did and it generated a lot of press box attention and photographs. Just doing my part. Bailey’s maturation process has been amazing. Remember, he was 19 when he came up and so arrogant I didn’t even want to talk to him. Now he is one of my favorite people to talk to, even before he gave me pink shoes.
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